BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Eight former employees of a group contracted to work children have been charged on Wednesday for allegedly assaulting the teens in their care.
Eight people who were contracted by the state's Department of Youth Services and worked at DYS' facility on Long Island called Casa Isla. The state shut the facility down in August of 2014 after allegations of abuse surfaced.
The suspects are accused of playing what they called "orange chicken" with troubled teens -- having them pull down their trousers and spanking them with orange state-issued slippers.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office, the suspects instituted "orange chicken" the night before teens would leave Casa Isla as a reminder not to come back, or if a teen did return to the facility, and on other occasions as well.
The children involved were in custody of the Department of Youth services at the time.
The eight suspects are Silvio Depina, Ainsley Laroche, Hermano Joseph, Jalise Andrade, Raymond Pizzaro, Joseph Cintolo, Wilkins Jeanty, and Emanuel Fedna.
Five of the suspects were arraigned on assault and witness intimidation charges in Suffolk Superior Court on Wednesday. Three are expected to be arraigned Thursday.
All defendants arraigned Wednesday were pleaded not guilty and were released on personal recognizance, with a court order to stay away from DYS facilities, workers or residents. They are also not allowed to have employment involving children, and cannot have unsupervised contact with children, except for their own children.
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